


fairest of them all

by aletterinthenameofsanity



Series: written by the victors [1]
Category: Schneewittchen | Snow White (Fairy Tale), Sleeping Beauty - All Media Types, The Little Mermaid - All Media Types
Genre: Fairy Tale Retellings, Feminist Themes, Gay Male Character, M/M, Nightmares, POV Magic Mirror, POV Outsider, Yes I said that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-25 08:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18257438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aletterinthenameofsanity/pseuds/aletterinthenameofsanity
Summary: Fairest- what a curious word. Fair- do you mean beauty or wisdom, my queen? Those are very different meanings, you know. The thing is, you are the fairest when it comes to the surface, but when it comes to wisdom, well, there are so many more viable candidates.(The Magic Mirror ruminates on the meaning of "Fairest.")





	fairest of them all

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first story in a long series of stand-alone fics that will all end up relating in the final story. Each one can currently be read alone, though, and I hope you guys enjoy them!

_ “The knife trembled in the hand of the little mermaid: _

_ then she flung it far away from her into the waves; the water turned red where it fell, _

_ and the drops that spurted up looked like blood.” _

 

Fairest- what a curious word. Fair- do you mean beauty or wisdom, my queen? Those are very different meanings, you know. The thing is, you are the fairest when it comes to the surface, but when it comes to wisdom, well, there are _so_ many more viable candidates.

How about the witch-girl who lives in the woods, the mute girl who walks on knives and doesn’t cringe in pain? She gave away her true love- the ocean’s eternal song- for a fleeting life on land. She learned her lesson, dearest, and she learned it well. She knows what it’s like to have a heavy decision on her hands- life with her family and her soulsong again, for _merely_ the price of a prince’s life- and to have to choose.

Do you remember what she chose, my queen? Do you remember her tale?

She was known as the red-haired princess, her title only given to her because there was nothing left. She was the footnote, the forgotten daughter who had the chance to change her fate and escape a life of being forgotten.

She ran with it, oh yes she did. She took the spell the sea witch had given her and escaped to dry land, to a pair of legs and a prince. She had the chance to seize her destiny and she _did._

And then later, at the tail (pardon my pun, my queen, even us mirrors must indulge) end of her story- do you remember what happened?

She had the chance to take her kingdom back, to return to her home- and do you remember what she did? She slipped the knife back into her sash with a soft _clunk_ and walked away.

She did not kill him, but it was not for his sake. It was for hers, for the soul that wanted to spend the rest of her life exploring and learning this new world. It was for the old soul that did not know its own age, the soul that thirsted for youth and new things and _dancing._

What did it matter that her feet ached with every step, that it felt like she was being stabbed every time she twirled and danced?

(Do you think her fair, my queen? Though she grows old, and she shall never again be graceful and beguiling, she is wise.)

(She gave up her home, oh queen of mine, what is the greatest sacrifice you have had to make?)

Or how about the boy who woke up from a seemingly endless sleep with everyone he ever loved dead around him and no idea what had happened? He had to build a life from the ruins of a sleeping kingdom, had to learn to love and trust and care after learning that he’d been lied to his entire life.

(Must have taken quite a bit of courage, don’t you think so, dear?)

This boy took his new life and made something of it, ruled his new kingdom without letting anyone know of his fear of the forest. Demons visited him every night, haunted his dreams and his life with his new husband, and yet he did not let them beat him down.

Curious thing, courage- you often find it where you least expect it. Just like strength, and dear queen, I must admit that you have done much with your time. You have slayed a king, felled a royal line reaching back centuries, but have you been courageous? Have you been wise?

Have you been fair, my queen?

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall- who’s the fairest of them all?”

I don’t know, my queen; I think you’d be able to answer that better than I.


End file.
